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Another Scorcher on Tap; Tar Balls Enter Lake Pontchartrain; Israeli Prime Minister to Meet with President Obama; Queen Elizabeth to Speak at the United Nations; Fired Employee Sues Wal-Mart Over Medical Marijuana; Stock Market Looking to Rally After Holiday Weekend; Joining up for Job Stability; Fear & Voting in Philadelphia

Aired July 06, 2010 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everybody. I'm Kyra Phillips.

Heat wave in the northeast. Miserable at best. Deadly at worst. Think about it. Washington's going to be about 20 degrees hotter than New Orleans today.

And on this triple-digit day in New York, the city welcomes a special visitor. Queen Elizabeth in town for the first time in more than 30 years.

And love means never having to say ouch. You bit me. Apparently kissing is so yesterday. Thanks a lot, "Twilight."

But we begin getting ready to crank up the AC, roll down the windows, whatever you have to do to get some relief. It's going to be a scorcher out there. From New York to Philly, down to the capital city, millions of people sweating through a blistering heat wave right now.

The mercury hovering near the 100-degree mark ready to shoot up. And get this. In triple-digit heat, the inside of a car can heat up nearly 20 degrees in 10 minutes. If the clock ticks for another 10 minutes it's up 30 degrees.

Temperatures like this aren't just dangerous. They can be deadly.

Jim Acosta braving the elements on the National Mall.

How are you holding up, Jim?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Doing OK so far, Kyra. Good morning to you.

You know, one thing that we can say about this heat is that you can't blame the politicians in Washington for the hot air. We've got a good old fashioned heat wave on the East Coast.

From Richmond, Virginia all the way up to New York City, triple-digit temperatures are in the forecast. And as that mercury starts rising, record highs could start falling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA (voice-over): There's little doubt these aren't the dog days of summer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know the dog needs to have fun, too. She needs to cool off. I'll go to the pool later.

ACOSTA: From this creek in northern Virginia to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to the beaches of the Jersey shore, the city pools in New York, and Pleasure Bay in Boston, the goal was simple.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trying to beat the heat.

ACOSTA: But while some people enjoyed a long holiday weekend, not everyone got to lounge around. This construction crew in New York put in a day of hard work under a blistering sun building scaffolding on Manhattan's Upper East Side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really tough. Sweat all day. It's not good. You've got to stay hydrated.

ACOSTA: The threat in the city is serious. During a 2006 heat wave, 46 people died of heat stroke in the city. Most of them were older New Yorkers who had known risk factors. But lack of air conditioning also contributed to a number of deaths.

So today the city will again open scores of cooling centers like this one. And with people snapping up air conditioners of their own at holiday sales and businesses opening back-up after a long weekend, a local power company, Con-Ed, is working to make sure it's ready.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't pay to worry. We just get prepared. And we are prepared. We prepared as much as we possibly can.

ACOSTA: Some 17,000 customers in New Jersey got a taste of what could happen if the grid fails. Spending four hours Monday without power.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very uncomfortable and we're just trying to -- we hope that the food doesn't spoil.

ACOSTA: With the weekend serving as just a warm-up and temperatures expected to head to triple digits along much of the northeast coast today, it's a good time to remember the old adage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the humidity that gets everybody. You know, you really got to be careful.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ACOSTA: Absolutely. That is the right message. And just to hammer that point home, the National Weather Service has issued heat advisories for cities up and down the East Coast. So when you combine that intense heat with that very high humidity, you could get a dangerous mix. Not just for the young but for the very old as well.

And, Kyra, I have to tell you I've been catching a little bit of grief this morning from my producers for not bringing a thermometer out here. Not having a prop to show how hot it is.

So we're going to try to use the Washington monument here as a giant thermometer. We think the temperatures are going to be right about there today. Near the top.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Jim, you --

ACOSTA: I don't know. Does that work?

PHILLIPS: No, you just did the Leaning Tower of Pizza move, right? That picture that we all take, pushing up the --

(LAUGHTER)

ACOSTA: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: OK.

ACOSTA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: That was almost as cheesy as a thermometer, right?

ACOSTA: Just trying work with what I've got down here.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: You're such an enterprising journalist. I appreciate it. We definitely get the point, Jim. Just looking at your face.

ACOSTA: It could be the heat.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: There you go. It's getting to you.

And, you know, we can joke about it, Jacqui Jeras. Of course, I mean, I even heard a story the other day about a guy's shoes that, you know, melted into the sidewalk. And he stepped out of his soles.

But along with the funny stories, it is very serious. Especially when it comes to our elderly and --

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.

PHILLIPS: And, you know, animals and locking kids in the car. We've heard all the awful stories.

JERAS: Yes. Absolutely. And today is going to be the worst of it. So the most dangerous day of the bunch of this heat wave where it's going to be feeling like 105 degrees for many of you today.

And some of the worst of it, Kyra, is that, you know, we're starting out today with just brutally conditions out of the gate. It's 9:00 in the morning. Look at the temperatures in Boston, 90 degrees, 88 in New York City, 91 in Philadelphia, and 85 in Washington, D.C.

And you can pretty much go ahead and add about five degrees on to the thermometer. And that's what the heat index is going to be feeling like today with the humidity and the temperature.

Heat advisories in effect for the megalopolis so that's everybody from Boston stretching down to Washington, D.C. Extreme heat warnings for you here in Philadelphia. But there's not a lot of difference between these warnings and advisories. It's going to be brutal for everybody.

What about those records? Well, many are going to be set today. Take a look at the forecast high and the record for New York City, 101 degrees. We probably won't hit the record in Boston but check out Philadelphia. I think we'll do that easily, forecast of 101, record 98 degrees.

So cooler temperatures on the way, Kyra. Wait until Thursday and things will be feeling a lot better.

PHILLIPS: All right. At least there's some good news in the forecast. Thanks, Jacqui.

Day 78 of the Gulf oil disaster. Its reached or -- its reach is growing as well. Now we can say that the trouble stretches from Texas to Florida. Tar balls found over the weekend in the Galveston area.

Tests now confirmed that they are from the gushing well. It is just not clear if they floated all the way from the site or maybe hitched a ride on the side of a boat.

They've also turned up in Lake Pontchartrain just north of New Orleans. Parts of the lake now off limits for fishing. Workers have been trying to keep oil out of that lake since the disaster started but winds and waves have made that a real challenge. CNN's Brooke Baldwin down there for us.

So, Brooke, we're actually talking oil creeping north of New Orleans. I mean, that's got to be disheartening.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. I mean I know you know New Orleans, right? And if you think of Lake Pontchartrain like a clock and New Orleans is right around 5:00 or 6:00, I'm standing in this Slidell which is right around 3:00.

And Jim Acosta was saying in his live shot, he may not have had a prop. I have a prop for you, I wish I didn't have this prop. Didn't take us too long to find the tar balls. Here it is. I don't know if we can go in any closer.

But it basically kind of looks like two gum or maybe if you microwave Tootsie Roll, that's basically what it looks like. It doesn't smell, though. But it's obviously full of grease. And this is the stuff that's -- it's disgusting. As of yesterday, started washing into part of Lake Pontchartrain.

And this is a huge deal because this signifies the fact that this oil from that rig explosion back in April has now made it this far inland. The story is very personal now for people here in New Orleans. And especially for some of the fishermen who love these waters and the fish.

Take a listen to what some fishermen are saying after spending their holiday weekend out here and seeing this stuff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAYL BORDELON, FISHERMAN: Like resin almost. Fiber glass resin. Gets on your fingers. If you wash it and wash it and it smears. It smears.

ROLAND MOLLERE, FISHERMAN: Didn't think we'd see it in here but looks like we're going to and that's sad. You know. It really is. What else can you say about it?

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: You know, it's sad and some people, though, Kyra, aren't that surprised. And I have spoken with one man who's with the Lake Pontchartrain Bays and Foundation who basically -- you know in his boat every week, kind of watching and waiting for some of this oil.

And now tar balls to come this close into shore, and now it has. There is actually a boat that is just passes but I can't show it to you. But the cleanup crews are very much so out. They were out yesterday with their nets trying to clean up any of this oil and any of these tar balls.

And it's been raining, but they are here today -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: We'll follow up with you. And by the way, you're standing right where I used to live, Brooke. It's so disheartening to see that that's happening to my old stomping grounds. Yes. Good people around there.

Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: They are.

PHILLIPS: And take a look at the shores of Ft. Morgan, Alabama. Hermit crabs running into trouble on the shores of Mobile Bay. The curator at Ft. Morgan says that crews are business trying to protect that water and shore but that it's hard to see any progress because the oil just keeps coming.

Now today a blimp -- kind of like the Goodyear blimp -- should arrive on the Gulf Coast to help find oil in the water. Point skimmers to it and find the wildlife that's in trouble.

Also that huge skimmer boat called A Whale, well, it's going to get more trial runs. Hopefully tomorrow.

We're going to get the latest on the efforts straight from the president's go-to-guy on this disaster. Admiral Thad Allen joining me live right here in Studio 7.

Yes, we are also going to talk about the fact that he has officially retired from the U.S. Coast Guard. From flight suit to suit and tie. We're going to take a look back at this crisis tested veteran's career.

The next few days are critical. Wall Street reopens the bottom of the hour after a long holiday weekend. Stocks have slumped for two straight months. Two of the major markets close to bear territory so it's no wonder investors are pretty skittish right now.

CNN's Christine Romans watching the markets for us.

Christine, what you do the biggest worry is today?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The biggest worry today is that you don't follow through from gains overseas. Overseas markets were up last night. And so there's some hope here that futures are higher and that stocks are going to find a little bit of their footing.

But you have the Dow last week closed below 9700. And you're right. There's been a bear sighting. The Dow, the NASDAQ and the S&P have all had very, very rough couple of months.

I want to show you, Kyra, the S&P 500 because your 401(k), the stocks in your 401(k), are probably most likely pegged to something like the S&P 500. From the peak it's down 16 percent. This year it's down 8 percent. That's a big hit to your 401(k).

The big question, the number one critical question ahead for the next few days, Kyra, is how strong is the recovery? How strong is the recovery and what does that mean for your job, your investments, and your house?

Those are the big questions we're still asking -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, we'll follow it. We'll wait for that opening bell. Christine, thanks.

I hope Her Majesty remembered her royal fan. Britain's Queen Elizabeth takes Manhattan today as the Big Apple and much of the northeast broils in a heat wave. A look ahead and back at Britain's reigning monarch and her modern-day (INAUDIBLE).

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Scanning your morning passport, major fence-mending on tap today at the White House. President Obama is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

With U.S./Israeli relations strained to possibly the lowest point ever, here's the quick recap as to why. Let's go ahead and go back to March. You may remember Vice President Joe Biden's trip to Jerusalem and Israel's most inopportune time to announce more Israeli settlements to be built in east Jerusalem. Additional settlements a huge sticking point between Israel and the Palestinians. Now flash forward just a few weeks ago. Netanyahu in D.C., call it President Obama's payback. A well publicized snub. No meet-and-greet pictures and no White House dinner.

Netanyahu goes home. Politically empty-handed. And a few weeks after that, another scheduled White House meeting for the two. Eventually canceled after Israeli troops storm and seized a flotilla ship loaded with aid for Gaza.

So that's the backdrop for today's meeting. Possibly overshadowing the Middle East peace initiative. Iran's nuclear aspirations and other subjects of mutual concern between the two countries.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux live in Washington.

Suzanne, the meeting was postponed for May. So what are we expecting today? And do we expect any progress? I'm sure there's going to be a lot of tension still.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The good news here, Kyra, is that things have changes since May. They've changed since March when they really were at the lowest point. We have already seen from Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minster, an easing of the restrictions, the blockade to Gaza. That has been a relief to the Palestinians and to the Obama administration. We've seen President Obama hosting the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas here at the White House to get his take on all of this.

The main thing that we expect to see here is whether or not this relationship here is going to improve. Whether or not there's going to be greater trust between these two leaders, President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As you had mentioned before, the last time, it did look on the Israeli side like a big dis to the prime minister there because there were no cameras, no kind of accommodation that would normally accompany a head of state.

Well, now we know that the prime minister, who's right across the street, the Blair House. There are going to be cameras in this meeting. They're actually going to take some questions afterwards. And so, already we know that they are setting the table, setting the stage for a different kind of tone.

The main issue, Kyra, and we still don't know whether or not this is going to be resolved today, is whether or not Benjamin Netanyahu is going to be willing to freeze the Israeli settlement. The West Bank, East Jerusalem. That has been a real sticking point with the Palestinians and the Israelis, whether or not he will voluntarily extend the moratorium. That deadline is up in September. So we'll see if there's any movement on that.

But clearly, this is about trying to, at the very least, in a superficial way, get these two leaders back together, face-to-face, and talk. And hopefully, that will mean eventually the Palestinians and the Israelis will be able to do the same.

PHILLIPS: All right, Suzanne. Thanks so much.. And just a reminder, both President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu set to speak following today's meeting, tentatively set for noon Eastern. We will bring it to you live, right here on CNN.

Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth doing a couple of things today that she hasn't done in quite a long time. Visiting New York City. It's a first in 34 years, where she is set to address the UN, something she hasn't done since the 1950s. CNN's Richard Roth, live in New York. Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I heard some music there, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: That's Pomp and Circumstance. Just for you.

ROTH: The United Nations hosts Queen Elizabeth II. Yes, thank you.

PHILLIPS: Hold on. A little bit more -- Yeah, there you go. Are you awake?

ROTH: I'm awake.

PHILLIPS: Actually, that was for you, Richard, not the queen.

ROTH: Love those horns. They're not really going to play any music when she arrives at the UN General Assembly. I think they should for visiting dignitaries. It would be a refreshing change. She's lucky she doesn't hear the sound of hammers and construction workers, because the United Nations is in the midst of major physical renovation. Some critics have long said the whole place needs an overhaul.

But the queen and Buckingham Palace requested this meeting. And they announced it in January. The queen was last there in 1957. At the time, the black and white video. The queen addressed the United Nations General Assembly then, urging world peace. She may do the same today.

She is the head of state for some 16 countries. She also noted the UN was now at a different stage and had faced new challenges since the founding 10 years earlier, after World War II, something she lived through in her time and her family in London.

After the United Nations visit, which is after 3:00 New York time today, she will then go downtown in New York to Ground Zero and will meet with families of those who were killed in 9/11. She will be at that site, where there was also new construction after years of delays. Freedom Tower, what is once known as, is being built.

And then a short ride over to a British memorial garden in Hanover Square in Wall Street, where the families of British citizens who were killed, nearly 60 of them will also be honored by the queen.

It's about a five-hour stop. She was in Toronto, Canada last evening, Kyra. And they had a bit of a power failure there. Prince Phillip and the queen had -- there was low-level light when they last spoke there.

There she is, there, in Canada. About a nine-day visit in Canada. Five hours for the United States. Not exactly equal time, but she isn't the head of state, really, of the United States. Though our country used to, according to the history books. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: You mentioned she hasn't spoken at the UN since the 1950s. And I just realize we have sound from the film, the old film, because it wasn't video then, right? Let's listen just for a minute, if you don't mind.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

QUEEN ELIZABETH II: Time has, in fact, made the task of the United Nations more difficult than it seemed when the terms of the charter were agreed

UNIDENTIFIED MALE SPEAKER: I respectfully request Her Majesty--

(END AUDIO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Isn't that interesting? She was talking about -- from what I gather there, that the difficulty in relations -- I mean, now, you are far too young, Richard, so you weren't there at that time, but I wonder if she's thinking about this moment as she, decades later comes back here and thinks about what she's going to say today.

ROTH: She was noting there the -- obviously the Cold War for -- not obviously but the Cold War then had changed -- broken out after World War II. And definitely the stalemate between the big powers was already in full bloom at the united nations. England, the United Kingdom, still one of the five permanent members of the security council just like now Russia before it was the Soviet Union.

So, yes, she is definitely going to probably recall 50 years on not much has changed. New wars elsewhere. No world war, which is what ushered in the United Nations.

PHILLIPS: Amen. All right. We will follow it with you, Richard. Thanks so much for the perspective.

Some interesting facts on Britain's reigning monarch, who represents 30 percent of the world's population. When she addresses the UN later today, she'll do so as the head of state for 16 countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia. She'll also be speaking as the head of the Commonwealth of Nations, which comprises of 54 countries.

On the British throne, 60 years now, the queen has met every US president since Harry Truman, sans Lyndon Johnson.

It's the case of Wal-Mart versus medical marijuana. A cancer patient in constant pain gets relief from the drug but a pink slip from his job. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Let's take you a cross-country. As more states legalize medical marijuana, more concerns are coming out. For starters, patients rights, community safety, private business rules, right now 14 states allow residents to use medical marijuana with a doctor's prescription. Those medical marijuana issues are at play in Michigan where a man who has been fighting cancer for years is now taking on Wal-Mart. CNN's David Mattingly has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Joseph thought the law was on his side when he started use doctor recommended marijuana to curb his constant pain.

JOSEPH CASIAS, FIRED WALMART EMPLOYEE: The pain like that, I don't wish it on anyone. It is not right to hurt like that.

MATTINGLY: Medical marijuana was legalized in his home state of Michigan last year. He says he never smoked on the job and never went to work stoned. But Casia's employer, Wal-Mart, fired him anyway. When he failed a company drug test after an injury on the job. Casias, who was a low-level supervisor is now suing Wal-Mart with the backing of the ACLU.

SCOTT MICHELMAN, ACLU ATTORNEY: This case is about the right of patients to make medical decisions in consultation with their doctors, not with interference from their employers.

MATTINGLY: With 14 states now approving medical marijuana use, this case could decide how much power states really have to protect marijuana patients like Joseph Casias. Casias says medical marijuana gave him pain relief no other drug could. An inoperable brain tumor that affects his speech also wraps his head, neck, and back in a blanket of pain.

CASIAS: It means everything to me. It means more than everything to me. More than anything anybody could realize. It is such a relief from agonizing all the time and trying to deal with it and go on with your life.

MATTINGLY: And now Casias is having to go on without a job. He is seeking back pay, compensation, and damages.

Wal-Mart hasn't filed a response to the suit yet but we did get a comment from the retail giant. A spokesman for the company says that the firing of Joseph Casias wasn't because of what his doctor prescribed. It was about Casias's ability to do his job safely.

The statement goes on to say that as more states allow this treatment, employers are left without any guidelines except the federal standard. In these cases, until further guidance is available, we will always default to what we believe is the safest environment for our associates and customers. MICHELMAN: That's simply not correct under Michigan law. Under Michigan law, patients are protected for their private medical decision and in consultation with their doctors to use medical marijuana. So the doctors' recommendation is very much the issue, however much Wal-Mart would like to change the subject.

MATTINGLY: Casias says he's more than $18,000 in debt after years of cancer treatment and has been unable to find a job since he was fired last fall. He's not the only one with a stake in the spot. Casias is one of 20,000 legal medical marijuana users just in the state of Michigan. David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Wall Street is back to work today. A little R&R might be just what investors needed because we are expecting to see a rally in the early going. Hopefully. Alison Kosik following the action for us at the New York Stock Exchange. We're hoping for the rally.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh yes, Kyra, you said it. Let's hope that R&R puts everybody in a big buying mood.

And we're getting some green arrows in the futures market already. But the Dow, overall, has dropped the past seven sessions. But as I said, futures are up more than 100 points.

I'll tell you what. The Dow could wind up looking like the hot temperatures here in New York that we are having. Investors coming back from the three-day weekend are taking their cue from overseas. Europe's major stock mark receipts up two to three percent. And Asia rallied overnight.

At the top of the hour, the focus is going to be on the US service sector. The service sector includes hotels and restaurants. It is now the biggest part of the economy and we are expecting the latest report to show that sector continue to grow in June, but at a slower pace than the month before.

Keep in mind that the markets are coming from the very low point at this point. So a rally today does not mean the selling is over. This could be one of the one hit wonder kind of days. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 are down at least 16 percent from their highs in April.

We're a few seconds away from the opening bell. One stock we're going to keep our eye on today, Kyra is BP. BP's shares were up 6 percent in the pre-market. There was some talk that BP would have to issue more stock to help pay for the spill. But the company said that right now it does not plan to do that. Issuing more shares would raise concerns on Wall Street about BP's finances and it would dilute the value of current shares, which are already half their value since that spill back in April.

All right. A quick check on the numbers now in the early going. The Dow Industrials is rising. They're up about 60 points right now. Nasdaq is higher by 30. Let's see if we can keep that momentum going. Kyra, back to you. PHILLIPS: OK. Alison, thanks. We'll follow it.

KOSIK: Sure.

PHILLIPS: And it's a tough job market out there for teens, but if you can't find a summer job, how about just creating your own? Coming up in our "AM Extra," we're talking about the young and self- employed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: So many planes fly every day in and across the country. And you have to wonder how come we don't have more near misses. Actually, rather, there are probably more than you realize. Just over Washington, D.C., there have been nearly a dozen in the last six months. Courtney Robinson of affiliate WJLA has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COURTNEY ROBINSON, AFFILIATE, WJLA: On takeoff, landing in the skies, passengers say they expect to be safe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's scary. You know, because you never know. I mean, your life is at the risk.

ROBINSON: "The Washington Post" cites the FAA and NTSB reporting that within the past six months in the Washington region, there've been 22 potentially dangerous mistakes by those who command the skies. Some involve near mid-air collisions.

ANDREW JOYCE, AIRLINE PASSENGER: I've seen it actually before. You know, just coming down here, I was looking out the window just thinking, wow, what if I saw a plane coming at me.

ROBINSON: Last year, air traffic controllers nationally committed roughly 950 errors. The Washington Air Space is the third busiest in the nation with 177 controllers, 49 of whom are still working toward full certification, meaning, they're still learning parts of the job.

EDDIE SMITH, AIRLINE PASSENGER: We did experience traffic controllers off in the tower. Educate these people. The life is at stake.

ROBINSON: A turnover in the system could in part be the issue. Controllers are required to retire at age 56 or after 25 years of service. Meaning, many hired following the 1981 strike in which President Ronald Reagan fired virtually all controllers are now up for retirement and newer controllers are coming onboard, some still learning the ropes while directing.

STEPHANIE FARRELL, AIRLINE PASSENGER: Fully certified on-the-job training. That is something to be concerned about.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's inexcusable, but it's bound to happen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: The NTSB began requiring the reporting of near misses in March. FAA regulations require jets have at least three miles of separation between them. If you're wondering how many flights are in the air right now, there you have it. The flight tracker. Live. We will be back. More in the CNN NEWSROOM. Straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories. Triple-digit temperatures gripped northeastern cities again today. Higher humidity over the next few days will make it even more unbearable. Cooling centers opened for people who can't cool down by the water.

Jury deliberations resume today in the shooting trial. Former bay area of rapid transit officer is accused of murder. The victim, a 22-year-old, unarmed man was shot in the back as he lay on a rail platform. New Year's Day 2009 incident triggered protests and riots in and around Oakland. And this week, Oakland's police chief and mayor are telling people to keep the peace saying, we will not tolerate destruction or violence.

Senator Robert Byrd's funeral begins in about an hour and a half from now. Burial will follow at a cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Byrd, the longest serving member of congress, died last week at the age of 92.

Can't forget our late night laughs. We love pulling those out of the archives and running them in the morning. And last night here on CNN, Donald Trump actually interviewed Larry King. Both looking back at king's royal resume of memories and Larry being the loyal Brooklynite that he is. Reliving his favorite Dodger blue moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: 1955, last out world series, fist time the Dodgers won the world series. Austin Howard grounds out the (INAUDIBLE). He throws to Hodges. We win. I was 21 years old. Best day of my life! Best day of my life!

DONALD TRUMP, BUSINESS MAGNATE: And then the Dodgers left New York. How did you feel about that?

KING: I left, too. I went down to Miami, and they went to L.A. And now, I go to Dodger games with my two little boys.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And I'll take a moment to just tip my hat to the king who announced last week that he's stepping away from the mothership full time. We're going to miss Larry, but this junior padres baseball royalty is a little more than south. Got to love him anyway.

It's a tough job market out there for teens. But if you can't find a summer job, how about creating your own? Coming up in our "AM Extra", we're talking about the young and self-employed. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Steady paycheck, benefits and training for future jobs. The military offers all three. Big reasons why more Americans are saying, sign me up in tight budget times. The Department of Defense is now saying that the army exceeded its goal for recruiting active duty service members in the spring months. And the army, air force, and marines, all exceed the retention goals last year despite the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

While we're flipping through the want ads, how about a six-figure starting salary in a prestigious position in the public eye? One catch. You have to be a renowned classically trained musician. It appears there are plenty of open positions in America's top ten paying orchestras, 12 openings at the New York Philharmonic, ten at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, seven in L.A. I bet you're kicking yourself now for not following through on those piano lessons.

We've been talking a lot about how tough it is for adults to find work, but teens are finding it hard to bring home a paycheck, too. The summer job market has turned cold. And over the last decade, the June unemployment rate for 16 to 19-year-olds has more than doubled the 25.7 percent. John Roberts joining us from New York our "AM Extra". You met some pretty motivated teens that every parent are cherishing right now.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR, "AMERICAN MORNING": Oh, absolutely. This morning, I had the opportunity to meet Danna Tillis. She is an incoming senior at Booker T. Washington High School in the over town neighborhood of Miami. She was one of those teens who was out there trying to find a summer job. In a new study, by the way, you were citing labor statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics figures there, a new study by Northeastern University finds that only one in four teens has found a job this summer.

Danna took a course in the teaching -- the network for teaching entrepreneurship. And she got this idea if I can't find a summer job, maybe I can create my own. She created Dolly's House of Fashion. And what she does is she takes clothes like jeans and jean jackets, jean vests, or something like that, she dresses them up, and resells them. We asked her about that this morning. Here's what she told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANNA TILLIS, OWNER, D'ANNA DOLLY'S HOUSE OF FASHION: You have old clothes, old pair of jeans, you really don't want to throw them away, and you really don't want to give them away, because they are your favorite pair of jeans you have forever, so why not refurbish them. Fix them up. Add rhinestones, bleach them, cut them up so that maybe one day you can wear them again. Also, put rhinestones on some converse and pretty converse, old shoes.

I decided that maybe they need a little extra fashion touch to them. I also made this jacket from this vest actually from out of the dress that I had. And I've added extra fabric in the back. And I bedazzled it a little bit. So, that's basically what the D'Anna Dolly's provides.

ROBERTS: It looks terrific. What's the demand like for it?

TILLIS: The demand for the jeans, especially, is very high. I mean, this is a new fashion craze, especially now for my peers. When they -- when a lot of the young ladies that I've done jeans for come to school with the fashion on and a lot of my other friends see them with them and they are like wow, that's nice. I like that. I like that idea. So, the demand for the jeans, especially, is very high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: I like the bedazzled converse kicks there. Now, let me ask you, is this just a summer job for Danna or is she going to keep working through the school year?

ROBERTS: As you know, Kyra, most summer jobs do end when the school bell rings, and people go back. She is going the keep this going. She says that her most difficult problem is going to be balancing her time because she's a cheerleader. She's also taking AP courses and other electives at school, but she wants to keep this going because it's doing so well. She expects to make a little more than $1,000 this summer. So, she thinks that she got a good thing going. And when she goes to college, she wants to continue to probe the depths of entrepreneurship and see what she can come up with.

But she went from being a teen, who's not only competing with other teens for those who losses summer jobs, but adults as well into doing something that she got pride of ownership in, something that's bringing in some money for her, and something that could actually become a career going forward. So, what a fabulous thing that she has tapped into. The woman, by the way, sitting with her is Alice Horn who's from the network for teaching entrepreneurship there in South Florida.

She says that she is getting a lot more kids coming in. And trying to do their own -- you know, their own stab at entrepreneurship. There's one other kid, his name is Jorge Carrera (ph). He started son for rent last year. Basically renting himself out to anybody who wants a son for the day to do some odd jobs around the house. He made $4,000 last year.

PHILLIPS: Oh my God.

ROBERTS: Now he's got kids knocking down his door and saying hey, how do we become part of this program?

PHILLIPS: Yes how about acres for rent?

(CROSS TALKING)

ROBERTS: So it's great to see these kids out there doing that.

PHILLIPS: Yes. But you --

ROBERTS: We do that on a daily basis do we? PHILLIPS: Yes that's true, we rent ourselves out. But you know it's amazing, we hear from -- I mean, even within the NEWSROOM, you know, we hear from parents all the time. Oh, I can't get my kid out of the house. I can't get my kid working. What am I going to do?

You see teens like this. And it's really inspiring and I wish everybody would take on that work ethic.

ROBERTS: Absolutely.

And don't forget, small businesses are the greatest employers, greatest employment creators in this country, so who knows. Maybe D'Anna Tillis will be starting a small business soon and she'll be hiring some other people as well.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

ROBERTS: So it's great to see them out there exploring what they can do and particularly having pride of ownership in the whole thing.

PHILLIPS: My guess is she'll do it. Thanks, John.

The oil spill disaster in the Gulf is deadly for some creatures. And now some politicians are hoping it doesn't knock them out of office. The politics of oil after the break.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD BURR (R), NORTH CAROLINA: My name is Senator --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. I want you to take a look at this video out of Philadelphia from the 2008 election. The topic is alleged voter intimidation by night, stick-wielding members of The New Black Panther Party. It's being discussed at this hour by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

This happened after officials at the Department of Justice decided not to prosecute the purported members of The New Black Panthers. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi I'm here at 1221 Fairmount in Philadelphia. This guy with a Billy Club right here. So -- do you have any problems here? What's going on? Everything ok?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is fine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just making sure. I'm here. I'm just a media guy. And that's all I'm doing. I'm with the University of Pennsylvania. No, who are you with? I'm sorry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm security.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think they know about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I'm not, I have a poll officer certificate so I can go inside.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All, I'm just wondering why you come up are taking pictures?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, were -- what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just wondering why everybody's taking pictures. That's all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. I mean -- I think it might be a little intimidating that you have a stick in your hand. And that's why.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who are you? Who are you to decide?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. No, no I'm going to --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, that's a weapon. So that's why I'm a little worried.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And who are you to decide?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I -- am a concerned citizen. And I'm just worried that you might be --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So are we.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So are we. That's why we are here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. But you have a night stick in your hand.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So what?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've a camera phone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a camera phone which is not a weapon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, never mind, I'm -- I think I'm going to call the police.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, the attorney formerly with the DOJ who resigned over this is testifying right now on the Hill before the Civil Rights Commission. His bottom line, the case was passed for reasons relating to race. We're going to follow this story and hear what he says and see what if any response it elicits from Department of Justice officials is said. So stay tuned.

In today's political ticker, you knew the oil disaster in the Gulf would spill over into politics. It certainly has in North Carolina. Check out this ad by environmental and union groups targeting Republican Senator Richard Burr.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BURR: We pulled one out of the water this morning completely covered in oil.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh he's covered.

BURR: My name is Senator Richard Burr.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Burr's record is a little oily. Big oil has showered him with hundreds of thousands in campaign cash. And when it came time to hold polluters accountable, Senator Burr voted no.

BURR: We're trying our best out here. But until there's a (INAUDIBLE) clean energy and climate legislations. I don't think we can save them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Senator Burr calls the ad gutter politics, and that's not the only political ad with a rough edge. Senator John McCain of Arizona criticizing his Republican primary opponent J.D. Hayworth for his involvement in an infomercial. McCain hints that his challenger is a huckster (ph).

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. HAYWORTH, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Now, you may think what you heard is too good to be true, but let me assure you, it is real.

Well, it was too good to be true. Twenty-four attorneys general condemned this company for promising people free government money and then ripping them off.

J.D. Hayworth, pork barrel spender, lobbyist, huckster?

HAYWORTH: It is real.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Character matters.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Well, that Republican primary in Arizona is November 2nd.

Straight ahead, vampire romance, hot on the big screen, but how about in high school? Kids biting each other to show affection? Teen trend with teeth coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Another astonishing look at the universe. A remarkable view from the (INAUDIBLE) space telescope. The purpose is to show what happened right after the big bang, when the universe was created more than 14 billion years ago.

CNN's Zain Verjee takes us up.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kyra. Check out this incredible picture of our cosmic backyard. It's really incredible. It shows the universe nearby as well as the universe that we live in.

I just want to explain to you some of what you're seeing. If you look right in the middle, there's a thin white line. Well, that is our milky way; it's the galaxy that we live in. And if you look a little bit above it and below it, you see all that blue dust. That is the area where stars are being formed.

One of the most interesting things about this picture, Kyra, is actually the reddish and orangish stuff that you see around that's a little bit speckled. It's the oldest light in the universe. It's ancient, it's almost 14 billion years old.

It was taken by data that was generated by the European Space Agency's plank telescope. I spoke to one astrophysicist who says that they're looking for a specific clue in this picture about the big bang.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM O'BRIEN, ASTROPHYSICIST: We are trying to get the highest and sharpest view we ever had of that radiation. And with it, we will be able to really discover what was happening in those first years after the big bang.

That light set off just a few hundred thousand years after the big bang. In particular, we are looking for a phase of expansion of the universe, the very early stages of the expansion of the universe. We might get some clues as to what was happening right back in those first few fractions of a second after the big bang.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: We're also going to get a lot of new information about how stars live and die and a little bit more analysis on the space dust that is between all of the stars. The most interesting thing, though, Kyra, is going to be about how the universe was formed in the fractions of seconds after the big bang -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Zain Verjee, thanks so much.

We're going to get the latest on those efforts straight from the President's go-to guy on the oil disaster, Admiral Thad Allen joining us live right here in Studio B.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)